The Prince's Affection
by ZeppyNova
Summary: Margo Sweeney leaves behind a life of abuse and belittlement to fulfill her dream of discovering untouched pieces of history. On a trip to Norway she discovers a hidden Viking ritual chamber that leads her to a world unknown by mere mortals. In this new life she must struggle to overcome her past and open her heart to new love. Will she earn the Prince's Affection?
1. New Beginings

The small women shifted uncomfortably in her seat. The cabin shuttered as the landing gear descended from the undercarriage of the plane. The other passengers were finishing up gathering their in flight items, no one payed attention to the women flying alone. She was off the plane the second the doors opened and the flight attendant released her row. Margo Sweeney moved through the airport as fast as she could go without drawing attention to herself. She passed the baggage claim without stopping. Margo didn't have luggage; she had left home to fast. The only thing this women brought half way around the world with her was a couple changes of clothes, a five-thousand-dollar camera, and a couple hundred in cash all packed tightly into a blue backpack. Margo weaved her way out of the crowed and to the parking lot beside the small airport. At the back of the parking lot was a plain white van with blacked out windows. Most women would avoid this sort of vehicle at all cost but not bold Margo Sweeney. She knocked on the driver's side window with pale knuckles. The van rocked as someone shifted around in the back. The rear doors swung open with a rusty creek and a willowy man jumped out.

"Glad you got here safe doll face" the man said in a thick Irish accent. "Nice to finally meet you in person"

"Thank you Mathew" Margo said watching the Irish man walk around the van to the passenger side. Mathew was a longtime friend of Margo's despite this being their first in-person meeting. They had meet over the internet nearly six years prior to the day and discussed their work with each other.

"No need to thank me Hun" Mathew said waving an absent hand at the women. Mathew had a trash bag in hand and was cleaning empty food containers of the front seat of the van. "Sorry 'bout the mess, I've been driving a lot lately. You know how work can be" Margo nodded in understanding. When she could she would just drive from job site to job site. If she could she would spend her entire life that way. Margo took a moment to look over her friend. Mathew Warren, age twenty-eight originally from Carlingford, Ireland. They shared an interest in all things old and lost and both worked as independent archaeologists. Mathew looked different in person then when Margo usually shall him in a little low-definition window on her computer screen. His hair was a lighter blond than she had expected but is was pulled into his signature high bun. Margo had never seen his locks worn down so she could only guess at its length. Mathew's eyes were a dark brown with flecks of hazel around the void black irises. He was thin and tall with high cheek bones and pale skin. A large arrow head hung around his neck on a length of worn hemp cord. Margo realized she was staring and averted her eyes down to her dirty hiking boots. Mathew tied the trash bag and tossed into the back of the van then moved around to get into the driver's side. Margo climbed up into the now clean seat and pulled the door closed with a heavy thud. She sat her backpack between her knees and clicked her seat belt into place. Mathew pulled the keys out of his jean pockets with a rattle. The key chain was packed with trinkets from all the countries he had traveled to; a tiny replica of Big Ben, a gold coin with the Great wall etched into it, he even had tiny sombrero. The engine started with a stuttering whine before giving in and turning over.

"So can I ask why you came half-way across the world on such short notice" Mathew asked inquisitively with a subtle tilt of his head in my direction. Margo chewed her lip contemplating her answer before turning her body to face her friend.

"You know how we talked about the Nordic holy grounds in the Scandinavian mountain range?" Margo asked.

"Yes, but you said you couldn't come to Norway due to your responsibilities in the states" Mathew said pulling the van out of the airport parking lot. Margo looked to the back of the van to see a mattress covered in cameras and computer equipment.

"Is this your home base or something?" Margo asked looking back to Mathew. He gave her a sideways glance as if he was trying to gauge her reaction to his set up.

"Yeah, I like to be well equipped when I arrive on a site" Mathew said "Are you avoiding my question?"

"No" Margo said quickly. She fiddled with the frayed end of her hoodie sleeves and kept her eye's on the road.

"It's not that I don't mind you being here, I'm actually happy to finally meet you; it's just how sudden you showed up. Did something happen that I should worry about?" Mathew asked. The emotion in his voice made Margo's heart ache. She felt a sense of comfort at the care he showed.

"It's just that I wanted to do this, it was time I did this. I've wanted to make this journey for a long time" Margo explained. The Nordic people had always been a topic of interest for Margo. She loved the stories of battle and the inventions that the Vikings crafted. The culture was brutal but beautiful. The arts and music carried the Nordic people's stories through the centuries and made Margo feel for them. The Holy ground she was seeking was one of the only ruins that were untouched by man. For all anyone knew the place couldn't even exist. The lore told of a Holy ground filled with relics of the fallen Vikings. It was said to be full of riches and art pieces never seen by modern man. Margo wanted to be the first person to uncover these treasures and bring a greater light into the Nordic Vikings culture.

"Alright then, I guess I can't just let you go by yourself. I might not be a Viking expert, but who can turn down the chance to be the first person to uncover a lost holy ground" Mathew said offering me a genuine smile. Margo smiled at her friend and reached over to lay a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you Mathew, this means a lot to me" She said, the appreciation for his words showing in her voice.

"I thought you had long hair" Mathew noted offhandedly. Margo instinctively reached up to touch the choppy ends of her auburn locks.

"I cut it" Margo admitted "It was getting in the way of my work"

"Well I like it; you can see more of your face like this" Mathew said with a side smile. Margo smiled back to him then leaned her head against the cool glass window.

The pair drove in comfortable silence for a little over an hour before turning onto a dirt road.

"Almost there" Mathew said. Margo picked her head up off the window and looked to the sky. They had left the city behind half an hour ago, this far out you could see the stars dusted across the sky as night fell. She shifted in her seat in an attempt the wake her sleeping legs. Mathew yawned heavily causing Margo to yawn in return. He surprised her by turning off the road and into an empty field.

"You live in a field?" Margo asked curiously.

Mathew nodded "It gives me my privacy considering I've never been that much of a people person"

"Well I'm honored to be allowed the privilege of visiting your secret domicile" Margo said with a small laugh. Mathew smiled at her and chuckled back. Margo caught site of a trailer parked in the field along with a large camping tent.

"Fancy" She commented. They parked behind the camper and climbed out of the van slowly.

"My ass is asleep" Mathew commented.

"What exactly so you want me to do with that information?" Margo asked with a smile on her lips. Another yawn cracked across Mathews face as they made their way around the side of the camper to the front door. The door was painted a bright blue and apparently left unlocked as Mathew was able to just push it open. He flicked on a light just inside the door illuminating the inside of the small trailer. Across from the door was a table stacked with papers and a map of the surrounding area hung over it. To the left was a kitchenette that looked to be rarely used. To the right a couch and passed that was a closed door she assumed to be the bathroom and another that led to a bed room. Margo hung her bag on the empty hook next to the door and moved to stand next to Mathew in the small room

"The couch pulls out into a bed. It Isn't the comfiest thing in the world but it's the best I can do short notice. If you don't like it, you can have my bed" Mathew explained.

"The couch is just fine" Margo said quickly. She wasn't going to let him give up his bed for her. The couch couldn't be worse than all the floors she had slept on in her life.

"Alright sorry to check out on you so soon, but I'm exhausted and gonna head to bed" Mathew said whilst stretching his arms over his head.

"Yeah I understand, I'm exhausted too. That was a long flight" Margo said around a yawn. Mathew nodded his head before pulling Margo into a hug. She was a little shocked at his openness but excepted the hug never less. The top of Margo's head only reached the underside of Mathews chin so she settled with wrapping her arms around his thin waist and resting her forehead on his chest. The gesture only lasted a couple seconds but the comfort from the gesture made Margo warm and fuzzy. The two separated and Mathew gave a smile down to his friend. He walked into his bedroom and returned a minute later with a large quilt and a pillow. He sat them on the end of the couch before removing the couch cushions and pulling out the bed hidden inside. It was only a twin sized bed but Margo's exhausted mind wanted nothing more than to lay down and sleep for days. Mathew went back into his room calling his good night's over his shoulder. The door to his room shut and she could hear him settle into his bed. Margo spread the quilt over the bed and tossed the pillow to the head. She unzipped her bag and dug out a pair of sweats to wear as pajamas. Margo turned her back to the bedroom door before pulling her hoodie over her head and slid her jeans down her legs. She stumbled slightly as she kicked off her boots and pushed them under the bed. She pulled on the sweats and settled into the bed after turning off the light. Margo shifted onto her left side and tucked an arm under the pillow. She lay in the silence and gazed out the window at the stars. Her mind buzzed with restless thoughts.

* * *

" _What is this?" Yelled a man's voice. Rage dripped from every syllable. Margo felt a fearful shiver slid down her spine. A man walked into the living room as if he was on a war path. The man held an envelope in his hand and shook it in front of Margo's pale face._

" _I planned on telling you over dinner" She said in a small voice. Her fingers fiddled with the hem of her skirt; it was far too short for her liking but he insisted she wore it._

" _Who the fuck do you think you are? Why would you plan a trip without asking permission first? I told you to let go of your stupid dreams. I told you that you were staying home for now on. No more traveling, your staying here with me!" The man's voice rattled the windows in the living room. Margo pushed herself farther back into her spot on the couch as her advanced on her._

" _Please stop" Margo pleaded throwing her arms over her face in fear. A heavy fist slammed into the side of her head making stars explode in front of her eyes. A sob racked Margo's small body. Thick fingers wrapped around a chunk of her hair and gave a sharp tug. Margo screamed and scratched at the man's forearm. He released her hair and slapped her across the face with all his strength. She shrieked like a banshee and kicked her bare feet into his chest. The man stumbled away._

" _You whore" He ragged regaining his balance and charging at her. Margo jumped up from the couch and vaulted over the back. Her bare feet slapped on the polished wood floors as she ran to the kitchen to get the phone. If she called the police they would save her, Margo thought. The man chased her, gaining on her in a few strides._

" _Please stop" Margo screamed pulling the phone off the kitchen wall. Arms wrapped tightly around her waist and slammed her against the wall. The phone fell from her hands and crashed down on the hard kitchen tile. The man threw her against the kitchen island, pain exploding in her right hip. She scrambled away on shaky legs, hands reaching out for anything to use against him. The man rounded the island at her just as her small hand found the handle of a butcher's knife. The following minutes Margo couldn't recall. The next thing she could remembered was the gagging of the man as he lay in a pool of his blood, the knife sticking out of his throat. Margo collapsed onto her knees next to his dying body._

" _Oh god!" She screamed. Panic flooded her veins turning them to ice._

" _oh god, I'm sorry" She wept The man's eyes were full of shock and then nothing at all. The gagging stopped and he was gone. Margo sobbed her body shaking with the emotions running through her. Her tears fell on his blank face. Margo stayed crouched next to the dead man for an hour before she collected herself and rose on quivering legs. She walked up the stairs to the master bathroom and washed the man's blood off of her body in the shower. She dried her hair and applied a thick layer of makeup on her battered face. Margo pulled on a clean pair of jeans and a hoodie and gathered up a bag of clothes and her camera. She slowly made her way down the stairs, past the kitchen, and collected the envelope from where it had been dropped on the living room floor. As she made her way out the door Margo didn't look back. She didn't once look back at the house as she pulled out of the driveway and drove to the airport. She spoke calmly to the receptionist women as her ticket was checked and her name confirmed. While she waited for her plane to board she quickly chopped her hair short in the women's bathroom. She had always preferred her hair short but the dead man she had left behind demanded she grow it out. It was liberating to shove handfuls of her long hair into the trash without worrying about being punished. Margo never had a second thought as she boarded the plane headed across the world. At that moment she decided that if she was going to one day be arrested for her actions she might as well live her dream one last time, live out one last adventure._

* * *

Margo shifted onto her sore right hip, the pain grounding her thoughts. The man could no longer hurt her but a creeping fear still resided in her chest. The damaged he had done would be carried for the rest of Margo's life but she refused to let it define her. Her eye's burned with unshed tears as she closed them. The blanket was pulled up to her nose and Margo Sweeney slept in peace for the first time in five years.


	2. The Mountain

Margo jumped awake when a hand grabbed her shoulder. She shielded her eye's from the light coming through the window. Her brain was foggy as she rubbed the sleep from her eye's

"Mornin' sleeping beauty" Mathew said from the side of her bed.

"You scared me" Margo said sitting up against the pillow. She stretched her hands over her head and yawned. Her hair was a bird's nest on top of her head so she combed it down with her thin fingers.

"I'm having breakfast, what do you want?" Mathew asked moving into the kitchenette. "We got eggs, biscuits, bacon, some fruit"

"Eggs and a biscuit would be nice please" Margo said. She crawled out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom. The bathroom was small and you could probably wash your hands while you peed if you wanted to. She used the toilet then washed her face at the sink. Margo's hair was flopping in four different ways; defiantly a hat day. She went back into the main room and started folding the pull out bed back into a couch.

"Foods done" Mathew said as Margo was finishing putting the couch cushions back in place. Mathew plated the food and handed Margo hers. They moved to the newly made couch and sat side-by-side.

"So what's todays schedule?" She asked in-between bites. Margo had to admit Mathew was good at cooking. The eggs were fluffy and the biscuits were perfectly buttered.

"Well we should probably discuss what you've gathered" Mathew said.

"I've got some documents saved on my phone" Margo explained "I've read up on the mythos, this chamber is super real"

"So a myth told you it was real?" Mathew teased with a sly smile.

"It is there, I just know it is" Margo said, passion showing in her words.

"Do you have coordinates?" He asked.

"Kind of, I've narrowed it down to a segment of the Dorefjell range, a few miles west of the north peak" Margo said using her fingers to point directions.

"Well if we're going to trek through the mountains we should get a move on before it gets late" Mathew said standing and putting his empty plate in the sink.

"Really?" Margo asked, excited.

"Yeah of course, I trust your intuition" He said. Margo smiled wide and couldn't control the child like giggles that burst from her. She jumped up from her spot on the couch, a new energy bursting through her body. She sat her plate in the sink before pulling Mathew into a tight hug. Mathew picked her up and swung her back and forth. Margo smiled into his chest. Maybe in another life they could have had a romantic relationship, but in this lifetime they shared friendly affections and compliments disguised as teases. She didn't know if he felt anything more for her than adventure buddies. If he did ever admit feelings for her Margo honestly didn't know what she would say.

"Alright we need to get packed, I got a four wheeler outback I'll need help loading into the van. We can drive as far as we can then hike the rest" Mathew said after setting Margo back onto her bare feet.

"Alright I'll get dressed and meet you outside" Margo said.

"I never relived how small you were" Mathew said in a wispy voice as if he was speaking his thoughts aloud. Margo looked up at his pondering face. She had not thought about her short stature for quite some time. Her body had stopped growing when she was about fourteen. Margo's small frame had been a source of teasing in grade school. She remembered eating anything she could get her hands on in her teen years in an attempt to gain weight, but her body ran through the fuel like a gas guzzling racecar. Margo was only a couple inches above five feet and her weight wavered between one-twenty and one-thirty. She had always been self-conscious of her small breasts and long fingers.

"It's just how I am" Margo said simply. Mathew nodded in understanding. He himself was a foot taller than her and probably double the weight. They moved apart, him heading outside and Margo picking up her backpack and going to the bathroom. She slipped the sweats off and pulled on a sports bra, clean panties, blue stretchy running pants, a thin black camisole, and a grey zip up hoodie. She used the hairbrush from her backpack and brushed her hair back into an elastic tie. Margo's newly shortened brunette locks made into a short ponytail that she thought looked strange. She bit her lip and almost regretted cutting her hair, it had been so long before and she had taken it from waist length to just under her shoulders. It would grow back, Margo reassured herself before walking out of the bathroom. She put on her work boots and headed outside. She made her way around the back of the camper. Mathew had moved the van and had the backdoors propped open. The vans backend was pointed toward the camper and was parked in front of an old blue four-wheeler. Mathew set up a makeshift ramp out of old boards and together they loaded the four-wheeled into the back of the van. Margo followed him back into the camper and watched as he packed food and water into hiking packs. She checked over her own bag before slinging it over her shoulder and heading back outside. The weather was in the low sixties that morning with a gentle south wind. It was a good day for a hike. Mathew stepped out of the camper and pulled the door shut without locking it. Margo helped load the food bag and a small travel tent into the van alongside the four-wheeler. Mathew had stood up the mattress that had been in the van to make room for their stuff.

"So you ready?" Mathew asked as they were buckling up in the front seat. Margo smiled and nodded. A small part of her held a sliver of doubt. What if the Holy grounds were just a myth? She knew she would feel bad for wasting Mathews time if they weren't. What if they were real? Should they share their findings with the world or keep it to themselves to study independently? Margo sighed. She watched the road as Mathew drove. The world seemed so big to Margo but at the same time so small. Her work had taken her around the world five times over but all she had seen were airports, job sites, cheap hotels; she had never mingled with the locals or experienced a life outside her own suburban comfort zone. She looked to the sky, something she did a lot lately, and watched a cloud wisp past. Was this it? What of the nine realms she had studied for most of her adult life? What of the Vikings and their gods?

"You okay?" Mathews asked, breaking through her stupor thoughts. Margo turned her head from the sky to her friends.

"Just having my daily existential crisis" Margo joked with a weak smile.

"Were going to find it" Mathew said "Even if I have to build it myself, were going to find you your Holy Viking Grounds" His eye's held hers for a brief second before turning back to the road.

"Thank you, Mathew" Margo said sincerely. Her mind settled after that and she looked back to the sky; this time not looking for more but just seeing what she could.

* * *

The drive had taken nearly three hours before they had reached the base of the Northern most peak of the expansive Dorefjell range.

"There should be a road leading up the mountain around here" Mathew thought aloud

"There's a sign there" Margo said pointing out an old wooden sign that was half hidden behind an evergreen. Mathew nodded his head and followed the arrow that the sign had painted on it. They drove in silent concentration, both looking out for the promised path. It was Margo that spotted the trail, which too was partly hidden in the trees. The van puttered up the steady incline of the trail as they made their way closer to their destination. Margo could feel herself getting restless and bounced her leg to relieve some of the pent up excitement. The road began to narrow after a mile and the foliage became thicker.

"I think it's time to switch to the four-wheeled" Mathew said as he parked the van to the side of the trail. Margo unbuckled herself and helped unload the four-wheeler. They strapped all their bags of equipment to the back of it and Mathew toped of the gas tank using a gas can he had in the van.

"Are we ready?" Margo asked hesitantly stepping toward the four-wheeler. Mathew nodded and gave her a reassuring smile. He climbed on and patted the small spot behind him on the seat. Margo buckled the chest strap on her back pack and swung a leg over the machine. Mathew jerked the key a couple times before on the fourth time the beast roared to life. The seat vibrated under Margo causing her stomach to flutter. Another step closer she told herself. Mathew pumped the gas once making them jerk and Margo quickly wrapped her arms around his middle.

"You're an ass" Margo shouted over the engines rumble. Mathew laughed at her before taking off for real this time. The old four-wheeler sure could move. Margo leaned into Mathews back to hide her face from the wild.

"You good?" Mathew called back to her.

"Yeah" Margo said, nodding against his back. She could see the forest getting thicker the closer they got to their destination. The air was getting a bit chillier the higher they drove up the mountain. Almost there, Margo told herself.

"I'm stopping" Mathew called to Margo. Her left off the gas and let the four-wheeler coast to a stop. Mathew killed the engine and climbed off. Margo watched him cowboy walk and stretch.

"Let me guess, your ass is asleep?" Margo joked. Mathew chuckled and untied the food bag from the back of the four-wheeler. Margo got up and followed him to sit in the grass by the side of the trail. Mathew passed her a granola bar and a water bottle. She ate her food quietly and sipped at her water.

"Are you excited?" Mathew asked

Margo nodded "Yeah, it feels so strange, but like a good strange being this close"

"I'm happy your happy" He said and stood "I'm gonna go take a piss"

"Well that's one way of exploring nature" Margo joked, watching him wander into the woods. She picked at the grass and the fallen pinecones. The forest was very quiet up here, almost as if there were no animals. She couldn't see any birds in the sky or even bugs in the grass. This mountain was so silent.

"Margo!" Mathew's voice called.

"I'm not helping you wipe" Margo called back.

"I found something" He yelled to her. Margo pulled herself off the ground and walked into the trees.

"Where are you?" Margo asked loudly so he could hear her.

"Over here" He called. Margo followed his voice and found him standing at the base of a tall tree. The tree was barren and dead and had inscriptions carved into it. She stepped up next to him and looked at the inscription. She gasped realizing what it was.

"These are Nordic Runes" She said "It's a prayer"

"You can read this?" Mathew asked, looking at her in surprise,

"Kind of" She said "I know some words, like this is a prayer about crops I think"

"So the Nordic Vikings prayed for good crops?" He asked

"I guess" Margo said with a shrug.

"Does this mean we're close?" Mathew asked

"I think so. Near the bottom it mentions an alter" She said and looked up the tree. All but one of the lower branches had been cut off. The one remaining branch pointed ominously toward the mountain. Margo wandered in the direction it pointed to find another bare tree ten yards away from the first.

"Follow me!" She called "The second tree asks for animals" She followed the second tree's pointed branch to a third and then a fourth.

"There!" Mathew called pointing toward the mountain. A cave could be seen through the trees. Margo ran to it, excitement practically flowing out of her. A rune inscription carved above the opening read "Godly Holy Men"

"This is it" Margo said to herself. She had found it; they were here.

"Wait here while I run back and get our gear" Mathew told and went jogging back the way they had come. She looked back at the fourth tree. It was an ash tree. Nordic lore praised ash and told that it had healing properties. A wind picked up around Margo and seemed to be pushing her toward the entrance. She looked back to where Mathew had disappeared into the trees. She looked back to the cave and felt the wind push her from behind. Her feet moved before she could decide against it. Margo wandered into the cave's entrance and found more prayers carved into the stone wall. From where she stood she could see the cave bent down and to the left as it went back into the mountain. She laid a small hand on the inscriptions and felt the rough carvings under her tender fingers.

"Margo" Mathews voice echoed around her. She jumped at the sound of his voice. Mathew walked to her handing over one of his hiking packs. "There's supplies and your camera in there"

"Thank you" She said. He handed her a red flash light which she immediately clicked on and shone at the wall. The inscriptions suddenly glowed.

"They painted in the carvings" Margo said. It seemed like after someone carved the inscriptions they painted in the grooves of the runes.

"Look up" Mathew told her. She leaned back her head and shined her flashlight to the ceiling. A beautiful night skyscape was painted above them. Stars shone brightly in silver and constellations in golds. A crescent moon was painted near the entrance in a blood red.

"Wow" Margo gasped in awe. Mathew shown his light to the back wall and the downward slope. He took a step toward the slope but suddenly stopped and reached into his pocket. A rattling noise could be heard as he pulled out his compass. Margo shuffled closer to see that the compass's pointer was spinning wildly around its axis.

"Welcome to wonderland Alice" Mathew said under his breath.

"Let's go" Margo said, brushing past Mathew and heading down deeper into the cave.


	3. Traveler

The cave led down at a drastic decline. The temperature around them dropped a couple degrees every hundred feet they descended.

"How far do you think it goes?" Mathew asked.

"I'm not sure" Margo said. The walls were covered in runes and paintings, the further they descended the drawings became more scrunched together. It was like the artist was becoming frantic the way the runes went from delicate scribes to harsh etches. The paintings also became more smudged and sloppy. Margo felt a chill run up her spin as her flashlight shone on a painting of a man being dismembered by a pack of giant wolves. Above the gruesome art was the word "traitor" harshly slashed into the rock wall.

"Geez" Mathew commented "These Vikings of yours are a little morbid with their art"

"They did have a nasty way of dealing with their problems" Margo admitted.

"I can see that" Mathew said pointing his flashlight to a painting of a women being burned at the stake.

"It says she was a whore over the painting" Margo said a tinge of disgust in her voice. She felt disappointment in the pit of her gut at the sick artwork. She shifted her bag higher on her shoulders and moved closer to Mathew. While Margo was fascinated with the work and lives of the Nordics she also held a bit of hatred for them. They were intelligent people with beautiful art works and fantastic inventions but they were also cruel and despicable at the same time.

As the pair went farther into the cave the tunnel started to level out and the ceiling became lower.

"It's getting tight in here" Mathew whispered next to Margo's ear. The walls seemed to be closing in around them.

"Let me get in front of you" Margo said. Mathew squeezed to the side and let her pass and she crouched to avoid hitting her head on the ceiling.

"How did the Vikings fit down here" Mathew asked, his voice echoing around them. Margo shone her flashlight onto the walls and to her horror shall hand prints in what she hoped was red paint. Margo stopped when she shall the tunnel come to a dead end. Mathew and her flash lights flickered ominously as if they had crawled into a horror movie.

"What do we do?" Mathew asked from behind her.

"I don't know" Margo whispered back. She sat her flashlight on the ground and pressed her hands against the wall that stood in her way. "This shouldn't be here, why is this here?"

The wall before them was perfectly smooth as if it was carved. Her fingers found an indent in the center of the wall.

"There's something here" Margo whispered.

"What is it?" Mathew asked reaching his arm around Margo to shine his light on the wall. The light revealed a painting she hadn't seen before, a magnificent painting of a man with a silver beard and a golden eye patch. On the man's shoulder stood a raven and he was wearing golden robes.

"Odin" Margo gasped.

The indent in the wall was a perfect circle about an inch in diameter. She pushed her fingers into it and felt it give. The indent was actually a plug in the wall. The circle fell through the other side and a clunk was heard. Margo shined her flashlight through the little hole and could see that the tunnel continued beyond the wall.

"It keeps going" Margo reported back to Mathew. Suddenly, the mountain around them rumbled.

"Fuck" Mathew cursed and shifted backward. The wall in front of Margo shook and started to crumble. Margo pushed her hands into it and felt it give under the pressure. The wall in front of her was reduced to rubble in seconds and she moved forward. The mountain shook violently like they were experiencing an earthquake.

"We need to get out of here" Mathew yelled, pulling on Margo's ankle. Margo pulled out of his grip and wiggled forward into the newly exposed tunnel.

"I think I see light ahead" Margo hissed as Mathew pulled on her leg again.

"The mountains going to collapse on us" He growled dragging her backwards. Her knees scrapped on the rough stone floor as he pulled on her. She hissed in pain and ripped away from his grip.  
"You go back" Margo called "I'm going to keep going"

"Damnit Margo" Mathew spit at her. The mountain gave a groan and the ceiling above them shook violently. Rubble rained down on their heads. The world around them was collapsing. Margo leaped forward, crawling franticly down the tunnel toward the light she swore she had seen a second ago. She heard Mathew scrambling behind her.  
"Go go go!" He yelled, his voice reverberating around them. The ceiling was coming down in front of her. Margo let out a scream as she suddenly felt herself falling. The world shifted around her than went black.

* * *

Margo woke with a start and pain slammed her. She groaned as her ankle flared with pain and blood dripped from her hairline.

"Margo!" Mathews voice called, but it sounded far off.

"Where are you?" Margo mumbled, putting her hand to her head. It was dark and Margo couldn't see her hand in front of her face.

"The ceiling collapsed" Mathew yelled "Are you hurt?" Margo shifted and felt a muscle pull in her back. Something sharp was poking into her right hip and her backpack was ripped open.

"I don't know, everything hurts" Margo groaned. Her head pounded and she could feel blood running down her face.

"I'm alright. A little scratched up but alive" Mathew said. She could hear him muffled and distant. Her vision wavered and dotted black. She could feel dust and dirt clinging to her sweaty face.

"I hit my head" She said and turned onto her side.

"The ceiling collapsed between us" Mathew reported to her. Margo pulled herself up onto hands and knees. She reached up and pulled her backpack off. The bottom of the pack was ripped wide open and the contents spilled around her. She felt the cold metal off her flashlight and flicked it on. Dust and particles floated in the beam of light as she shone it on the tunnel around her. Margo studied the collapsed wall behind her and found know way through it.

"I think I'm trapped" She called. Her vision blurred again as she slowly climbed to her feet. Margo leaned her weight against the collapsed wall to catch her breath.  
"I'm going to get help" Mathew said from the other side. Panic flooded Margo's veins.

"Please don't leave me!" Margo yelled and pounded her fist into the wall.

"I'll be back as fast as I can" He promised "I don't have cell service this far down. When I get to the surface I'll call for help"

"Just hurry please" Margo begged, her voice cracking. She could hear him moving on the other side then silence. Her breath shuddered out and she could see it in the light of her flashlight. The air was cold and stale. Margo moved away from the wall and shone her light down the tunnel ahead of her. The tunnel widened and got taller as it went. Margo stumbled forward, leaving the tattered remnants of her pack and the contents, to feel her way along the wall. She had sworn she had seen light before but know, it was nowhere to be seen. Maybe she could find another way out. Her mind told her to sit and wait for Mathew to return but something in her heart pulled her down the tunnel. On the walls the paintings seemed to regain a sort of normality and the lines became cleaner. The runes were straight and elegant and promised salvation for the worthy.

Margo stumbled along and the tunnel around her got wider and taller. The paintings on the wall got more colorful and beautiful and she stopped for a moment to look at a painting of a golden city in the clouds. Margo couldn't help but smile as she recognized the Viking style of art. She stumbled her way down the tunnel till she came to a large chamber. The chamber was dome shaped and on the far end was an altar. Margo's breath caught in her throat.

"Holy grounds" She whispered to herself. Leading up to the alter was a faded, ripped cloth runner. On each side of the runner were broken pews and near the front was a table covered in offering bowls and prayer books. On the walls hung rusted axes, swords, and shields. Margo's heart hammered in her chest as she wobbled her way closer to the alter. She gently touched each pew as she stumbled closer before collapsing in front of the alter. Her stomach churned and she could taste blood on her tongue. She reached her hand to her head and felt the blood drying there. Margo pulled her body up the steps of the alter and lay her head against a leg of the offering table. Her back ached something fierce and her head throbbed violently. Margo felt tears leak down her face, cutting through the dirt and grim. The beam of the flash light found burned out candles around the alter and torches along the walls. Margo imagined the chamber would be beautiful if all the runes and artifacts were illuminated by the fire lite. She didn't have a lighter on her so she wouldn't be experiencing that wonder today.

Margo took a deep, but shaky breath and hefted herself to her feet. She studied the offering table closely and found a plate with some sort of seeds on it, a dented silver challis, and a wooden bowl stained red with a rusted blade laying in it. She let her fingers swirl through the seeds and sat the challis up right. Her hand lingered over the handle of the blade hesitantly and the light reveled the red staining of the wooden bowl to be blood. Margo wrapped her hand around the handle of the blade and lifted it closer to her face to read the inscription on the handle.

"The holy shall be saved" Margo read. She turned it over in her hands and ran her fingers down the flat side of the blade. As Margo turned it over to the other side she felt the blade nick the tip of her index finger.

"Fuck" She hissed, dropping the blade back on the table with a clatter. Margo shook her hand quickly to ease the sting of the cut. "God that's sharp" She growled.

Suddenly, the mountain around her shifted and rumbled. Margo crawled under the offering table as rubble came loose from the ceiling and crashed onto the floor. Dust rose around Margo causing her to cough and close her eye's. The mountain moved as if experiencing an earthquake. Margo pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around the back of her neck.

"Please stop! Help me!" Margo yelled. She didn't know who she calling on but in her desperation she was ready to ask for help from anyone listening. The ground in front of her was splitting open right down the center of the room. She expected to see fire and lava leaping out of the crack like in horror movies but all that could be seen was an endless, dark drop. The flashlight in Margo's hand flickered then the bulb in it exploded. She dropped the flashlight and heard it roll down into the growing crack in the floor. A chunk of rock fell from overhead and crashed on top of the table over her head. Margo screamed in fear and the panic ran through her body like poison.

In that moment of panic the world seemed to slow down, the sound of the rumbling earth seemed distant and her body felt fuzzy and scorching hot. A feeling of weightlessness and a blinding light pulled Margo out of her panicked craze. She was being pulled straight up in a beam of brilliant white light. A scream caught in Margo's throat and she realized she couldn't pull air into her lungs. She screwed her eyes shut and held her breath as the world was pulled apart around her. Light and color flashed in front of Margo's eye lids and a nauseous feeling overwhelmed her. As fast as the light had appeared it was gone. Margo's body bounced off the ground as if she had been dropped. The world was quiet and soft and warm around her body. Margo tried to sit up but felt the world turn under her and fell unconscious.

* * *

Green leaves on giant trees and a blue sky spread overhead as Margo came to. She shifted and pain shot down her spine. She rubbed her face and found blood coming from her nose and the cut at her hairline was bleeding again. In the light of the beautiful day she had fallen into she studied the dark blood that coated her fingertips. Margo's brain went fuzzy and her eye's rolled back into her aching skull. The darkness pulled her back under.

* * *

An orange sky dotted with stars was painted above her and a cool breeze caressed Margo's cheek. The sound of the breeze brushing through the trees was soothing and made her want to sleep more. She moved her head to the side and shall a patch of wild flowers growing a few feet away from her head. A noise got her attention and she lolled her head to the other side and found a pair of boots. She followed the boots up to a pair of long muscular legs and those up to a broad chest and pair of shoulders. At the very top of this mountain of a person was a handsome man's face. He had a firm scowl and hard eye's. The thing that caught Margo's attention was that this man had a lethal looking sword held out in front of him and it was pointed right at her prone body.

"Over here!" The man suddenly yelled, not taking his eyes off her. Margo jumped at his booming voice and felt her mind sobering up from the haziness it had been clouded in. This wasn't a dream, she told herself. This was real and the giant men that were coming out of the woods behind the first man were very real. The bows that were drawn tight and the swords that were poised to strike looked incredibly real as well and they were all trained on her.

"Shit" Margo hissed under her breath and an arrow was set free.


	4. The city of Asgard

An arrow lodged into a tree behind Margo after grazing her check. She raised a hand and felt a thin line of blood and a shallow cut. Margo was shocked to say the least. The archer that had released that arrow knocked another into his bow and she could see him adjust his aim ever so slightly.

"No! Please don't" Margo shouted as she crawled backwards away from the soldiers. There was nine men in total, all wearing metal armor like they had stepped out of a fairy tale book. One of the soldiers let out a sharp whistle and the archer lowered his bow. A tale man stepped forward and strode toward her with long steps. Margo pushed herself backwards further from him. Her body ached horribly from the frantic movements and the fresh injuries from the cave collapse where nearly blindingly painful. The man grasped her forearm in a vice grip. He yanked Margo off the ground and into a standing positon but her legs gave under her and she sagged back away from him.

"Please stop! I'm hurt badly" Margo cried. Her voice was panicky and weak and Margo hated the sound of it. She looked up into the hard gaze of the soldier and noticed he seemed to be considering her. A long sword hung from a leather belt at his waist and a silver shield was strapped to his back. The soldier had shaggy black hair and a patchy beard that wrapped around his square jaw.

"What are you?" His voice was rough in a way that made Margo think of a veteran smoker.

"I'm a person" Margo said. Why would he ask such a thing? She searched his eye's looking for a sign her answer had been satisfactory. His hand was still holding her arm and he gave a sharp twist and squeeze. Margo shrieked and kicked her feet out at him in an attempt to escape. She kicked his chest armor and it gave a clang before the man seized her ankle.

"Stop! I didn't do anything! Let me go!" Margo screamed and kicked with her other foot at him. Another soldier rushed forward with a length of thin rope. The soldier that was holding Margo flipped her and pressed her face into the grass as the other bound her arms behind her back. Margo was bawling and her breathes came out as pathetic rasps. Her injuries screamed and she thrashed her body with what little strength she had left in her.

"Be still" The soldier demanded, squeezing her shoulder. He flipped her onto her back and put a heavy boot on her stomach.

"What did I do?" Margo gasped out. Tears blinded her and she was unable to wipe her eye's clear.

"You are charged with trespassing and a high court will be gathered to judge you" the man said. Margo's head swam. Trespassing? Where the fuck was she?

"Bring the horses" The man above her called to the other soldiers. The others nodded and she watched them disappear back into the woods and out of sight.

"Please, I don't know what's going on. I don't know how I got here" Margo begged. She pushed her body up against his boot and tried to roll out from under him.

"Lay still women" He barked. Margo's nostrils flared and she felt an anger bubble up in her chest. Her gaze moved to the bit of armor that protected his genitals and she imagined kicking his balls up into his body. The other men reappeared amongst the trees, but this time a herd of saddled horses were following them. Margo would have gushed over the powerful Clydesdales in any other situation but at the moment she only felt panic as they approached. A muscly black horse was led forward to stand in front of the soldier that was holding her down. Margo winched as the horse snorted and pawed the ground inches from her face. The soldier pulled her up on her weak feet but before she could collapse again he seized her around the waist and lifted her onto the horse's saddle. Margo gasped in shock at the man's strength. She quickly gasped again as she felt her body sliding sideways off the horses back. The man caught her elbow and pulled her roughly back into place.

"You will sit still" He ordered. He turned to the other soldiers and gestured for them to mount the other horses. The man swung himself up into the seat right behind her and she arched her back so his chest didn't touch her back. Margo scooted her butt as far forward as the saddle allowed. The man reached around her so his arms trapped her in place and took the reins before clicking his tongue at the horse. The horse jerked into a walk and Margo knocked back into the man behind her.

"Keep still" He growled. Margo ached away from him and leaned her head down toward the back of the horse's neck. The sound of clicking armor could be heard all around her so she knew the other soldiers where flanking them on all sides. Her heart drummed against her ribcage and she felt panic running through her in steady waves.

"You are a frail little creature" The man behind her said. She could feel the vibrations from his words against the top of her head.

"Fuck you" Margo hissed just loud enough for him to hear.

"Vile little thing" The man said with obvious disgust lacing his words. "Are you elvish?"

"What?" Margo asked, caught off guard at the odd question. What the hell was going on? Who the hell where these people?

"Elvish" He repeated "Who are your people?"

"I don't know what that means" Margo said. She picked up her head as they made it out of the forest and came onto a dirt road. Margo felt her eye's bug out of her head as her gave fell upon a city only a few miles away. The city was monstrous and at the center stood a golden castle illuminated in the days last rays of sunlight.

"Holy shit" She gasped. The man behind her chuckled slightly.  
"Have you never been this close to the city before women?" The man asked.

"Where am I?" Margo asked breathlessly.

"Stupid girl" The man growled "Have you never heard of the valiant city of Asgard before?"

Margo felt like the wind had been knocked out of her and she couldn't breathe. It wasn't possible! She was dead, she had to be. She had died when the cave collapsed and this was her heaven. Asgard was just a story she wanted desperately to be real but at the back of her mind she knew it wasn't. She spent a majority of her life researching and looking. Margo felt tears swell in her eyes as she looked upon the golden castle. It wasn't possible!  
"This isn't real. I'm dead" Margo said aloud to herself "It's all just a story"

"What are you babbling on about" The man growled "Where did you come from to not know of the city?"

"Upstate Cali" She said.

"Never heard of it" He huffed. If this was Asgard that would mean Margo wasn't even in the same realm as her posh California home.

"That's because it's on Earth" Margo said with a snort. The last thing she could have expected at that moment was to be thrown to the ground from the horse and the sound of a sword being unsheathed but that's exactly what happened in a span of three seconds. Margo had the breath knocked out of her as she hit the dirt. The man she had been riding with had his sword at her throat at his eye's burned with a fury she had never seen on any person before.

"A Midgardian is not welcome here!" He seethed "How did you get here"

"I don't know!" Margo shouted in panic. She felt new tears streak down her face and her vision swam behind them. "Please stop! I don't know how I got here! It had to be the ruins I found!" Margo gasped for air as fear engulfed her.

"You're a witch" He growled "It's the only way you could get here" At this point Margo could only sob and shake her head. Her throat was constricted and she couldn't breathe properly. Make it stop, she begged in her mind. The man seized her around the throat and completely lifted her off her feet. Margo chocked and gave a strangled cry. She kicked her legs into his chest and thrashed wildly.

"Gods have mercy on you" The man snarled only inches from her face. His breath was hot against Margo's face and smelled of spices and tobacco. He hurled her over the back of the horse so she laid on her stomach across the horse's ass. Her face pressed into the horse's flank and its short hair poked at her check. The man bound her there by tying her in place against the horse. He mounted and kicked into the horse's sides. The horse snorted and took off at a full gallop. Margo screamed as she was bounced around wildly. The horse was kicking up dust as it ran and Margo felt it sting her eyes and nostrils. They were headed to the castle at a break neck speed and Margo could see a gate in the wall that she assumed completely surrounded the city. Margo felt herself becoming nauseas and held her breath in an attempt to stop the vomit from rising in her throat.

As they reached the gate the man she was riding with slowed just long enough to bark at the gate keepers before pushing the horse back into a full gallop.

"We have a human prisoner. Send a raven ahead of us!" He had yelled at them. Margo was absolutely terrified. If this is a nightmare, please let me wake up! She thought desperately. She raised her head just long enough to see the city approaching and a large raven flying overhead. It was dark enough out that the city was lighting up with torches and fire pits. The caravan she was with rode along the outside of the city. The buildings got larger and more expensive looking the closer they got to the castle. The man whistled to the other soldiers and they were crossing a stone bridge that led them to the gates of the castle. The grand front gates were already pulled open and about fifty soldiers where gathered outside waiting for them. The horses stopped just outside of the gates all men dismounted. The soldier in front of her climbed down from the horse and undid the knots that held her to the horse. Margo was pushed toward two heavily armored guards who each took one of her arms. Margo wanted to fight with all that was in her but her body was heavy and too tired to fight. She allowed herself to be dragged along with the men into the castle. The soldier that had captured her strode a few steps in front of them. The walked up a long flight of marble stairs and down a hallway before reaching a giant set of wooden doors. The soldier knocked on the door and they two sides parted as they swung inward. Margo was dragged down a plush red carpet. On both sides stood stoic soldiers in identical shiny silver suits of armor. At the end of the long carpet and atop a short set of stairs sat a golden throne and in it a man straight from a mythos book. He wore golden armor and a heavy crimson cape. His shoulder length hair was snow white and matched his full beard. A golden eye patch covered his right eye giving him an extra dash of menacing. A crow as black as midnight squeaked from the arm of the throne. Margo was thrown into a heap at the bottom of the steps and the man rose from his thrown, he looked down at her with an unreadable look in his eye. Margo drew in a sharp breath and looked up to meet the gods gaze defiantly.

"All kneel before your king" A soldier behind Margo called "The wise king Odin"


End file.
